FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: December 12 2023
Contacts:
Kaitlin Price, Office of the Governor
Jon Ebelt, Department of Public Health and Human Services
Governor Gianforte, DPHHS Announce Incentive To Boost Child Care Workforce, Access to Child Care
HELENA, Mont. – Together with Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) Director Charlie Brereton, Governor Greg Gianforte today announced $3 million in incentives to boost Montana’s child care workforce.
“Montana’s child care providers support our hard working families,” Gov. Gianforte said. “We look forward to making this funding available to ensure providers who care for our children, while raising their own, continue this important service in our communities.”
Made available through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Child Care Worker Child Care Scholarship Program, the funding is available to parents who are also a staff member working at a licensed, registered child care facility.
The governor and director announced the funding as part of the Montana Bright Futures project, which they unveiled earlier this year to increase access to quality child care, promote strong, healthy families, and address child care workforce availability, recruitment, and retention.
“The incentive funding aligns with the goals we’ve established to help support Montana’s child care industry while targeting specific needs identified through research,” Director Brereton said. “We encourage eligible Montanans to take advantage of this opportunity.”
Over half of the employers who responded to the 2022 Montana Child Care Licensing Assessment indicate that child care availability limits employee recruitment by 63% and retention by 55%.
According to a 2019 Needs Assessment in Montana's Early Childhood System, the average cost of full-time child care for an infant in Montana is $9,000 and $7,900 for a 4-year-old child.
“Child care is one of the highest expenses for working families,” Director Brereton said. “In Montana, 10% of families note having to quit a job, not taking a job, or changing a job because of the cost of child care. This funding will allow parents to remain working in our child care system and increase retention for employers.”
DPHHS estimates over 300 caregivers are eligible to receive the benefit for one year upon application approval. Click here for a full list of eligibility requirements or to apply..